Peadar Healy pinpoints Daniel Goulding for special praise

Peadar Healy had several players to thank for securing him his first league win as Cork football manager and not surprisingly, Daniel Goulding was among the first to be singled out for praise.

Yesterday’s contest marked Goulding’s first start for the Cork footballers since April’s league defeat away to Derry and the 29-year old didn’t allow the occasion pass without leaving his imprint — hitting five points.

“Daniel is one of the best forwards in the country, it doesn’t surprise me that he played so well today. It doesn’t surprise me at all,” Healy said.

The manager must have been surprised, though, at the manner of his team’s performance and winning margin of nine points, surely?

“There is still plenty to learn, there were fellas going for goals – taking the wrong option, stuff like that. In a tight game, that would be a different story. You couldn’t [have asked for much more], but we finished the game with 13 men and that’s not good enough. We have plenty to learn. It was an open game, we’ll see what happens going up to Donegal.

“t will take until the end of the league anyway to know where we are. But this was a great opportunity to give young fellas like Kieran Histon, Luke Connolly and these boys good solid game-time.”

The Cork manager accepted that the two points garnered here takes the pressure off somewhat ahead of the trek to Ballyshannon next weekend, a fixture in which he’d like to ease Colm O’Neill and Donnacha O’Connor back into the fold. He is also confident of having Eoin Cadogan available for the game, the full-back departing the contest following a heavy collision with Mayo’s Lee Keegan.

Half-forward Paul Kerrigan was yesterday unveiled as the new Cork captain and Healy was fulsome in his praise of both the incoming and outgoing skippers.

Myself and [Michael] Shields spoke during the week. He was vice-captain with Cork during Graham Canty’s time, he was the man that went out for the toss in 2010.

“He has been captain for the last two years and he said, ‘maybe it is time now to hand it on.’ It came from him. He has shown great leadership on the pitch for Cork and he will show leadership for Cork going forward and we’ll expect the same from Paul.